A Life Worth Living: Second Time Around
by Michaela Rachel Katrina
Summary: Sequel to Life Worth Living. Charlotte and Will go after Jack to save themselves and Elizabeth. Does Jack still feel the same about Charlotte or has everything changed? JS/OC
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I don't own pirates of the Caribbean

**Chapter One**

**Prologue: Interrupted Wedding**

Charlotte looked out the window and sighed as she saw the rain slide down the window. She looked down at her dress and smiled. She wore a blue dress and her hair was twirled into curls and pinned to her head, some flopping down to her face. She was happy but sad about the wedding. She was happy because her brother was getting married to the woman he loved but it made her sad because she constantly thought of Jack. She wondered if he missed her at all. He was probably with some prostitute having sex right now. He wouldn't be missing her at all. It had been seven months after all.

Charlotte walked out her room and found Will looking rather nervous downstairs. She smiled and walked over to him. "You'll do fine." she said softly and he looked at her and nodded his head slightly.

"Yeah." he said croakily and cleared his throat. She patted him on the back and walked to look out the window.

"Nice weather conditions." she said dryly and he shrugged.

"Better than not at all." he said. "I'm amazed her father allowed it." Charlotte smiled thinking back on the day her proposed. It was so sweet. She took a breath and looked back at him.

"Ready?"

"Not a little bit, let's go." Charlotte chuckled and they stopped when the doors banged open and they were cuffed and dragged to the side of the room. Her struggles went unnoticed and they just tightened their grips.

"Let go of me." she grunted. She tried with all her might to be let free but it didn't seem to be working. Suddenly Elizabeth ran in with her hair all wet and in her wedding dress.

"Will, why is this happening?" she asked desperately, seeing the two surrounded by the East India Trading Company.

"I don't know." he said and then paused. "You look beautiful." Elizabeth chuckled slightly and Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"I think it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding." Elizabeth said as she looked him in the eye.

"Make way. Let me through!" they heard the voice of Governor Swann bark. He pushed through the crowd of soldiers but was barred from a couple of them with spears. "How dare you! Stand your men down at once! Do you hear me?" He glared at them and then they heard a new voice enter the room. It was mocking and arrogant.

"Governor Weatherby Swann, it's been too long."

Governor Swann looked up shocked. "Cutler Beckett?"

"It's Lord now actually." he said smugly and Charlotte sneered. This guy was a jackass. She watched as the spears uncrossed from Governor Swann and watched as he made his way to Lord Beckett.

"Lord or not, you have no reason and no authority to arrest these people." he said and pointed to Charlotte and Will.

"In fact, I do. Mr. Mercer?" he smirked and snapped his fingers. A man came over with a wooden box and handed it to Beckett. He took out the papers and handed it back. "The warrant for the arrest of one William Turner and Charlotte Turner." Governor Swann took the papers and looked it over.

"This warrant is for Elizabeth Swann!" he said frowning.

"Oh, is it? That's annoying, my mistake..." Beckett said but the tone of voice said it was anything but. He grabbed the papers and but them back. "Arrest her!"

"On what charges?" Elizabeth demanded as she was grabbed by some soldiers. Will was held back as he tried to stop them and Charlotte just seemed to be watching the event unfold.

"Aha, here's the one for William Turner. And Charlotte Turner." Beckett called and handed the paper over to Swann. They all watched as Governor Swann looked at it in disbelief. "And I have another one for a Mr. James Norrington. Is he present?"

"What are the charges?" Elizabeth repeated but was ignored.

"_Commodore_ Norrington resigned his commission some months ago." Governor Swann said tightly and Beckett sighed irritably.

"I don't believe that was the answer to the question I asked."

Will seemed to have had enough by now and glared at the man. "Lord Beckett, in the category of questions not answered -" he started and Elizabeth cut over him.

"We are under the jurisdiction of the King's governor of Port Royal and you will tell us what we are charged with." she snapped.

Governor Swann looked over the papers. "The charge... is conspiring to set free a man convicted of crimes against the Crown and Empire and condemned to death for which the..." he abruptly stopped and gulped.

"For which the punishment, regrettably, is also death." Beckett sniffed and walked up to Will and Charlotte. "Perhaps you remember a certain pirate named Jack Sparrow."

"Captain." Charlotte said forcefully. "Captain Jack Sparrow." Beckett smirked.

"Captain Jack Sparrow. Yes, I thought you might." he said and smirked at them. Charlotte sighed. Great, now she was going to be killed because she had helped the person she loves. Not that she knew it then but still... Great! What could possibly be worse? She shut her eyes and tried to block out Elizabeth pleas and whines, it was doing her head in and she just wanted her to shut up. This was all too much for one afternoon. She needed some rum.


	2. Times Up

**Chapter Two **

**Times Up**

"50 men on a dead man's chest. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum." Gibbs sang as he sat on the Black Pearl. He started to laugh heartily and took a huge swig of rum from the bottle he had in his hand. An ominous gong sounded and he looks up and watches a pack of crows fly overhead.

In the pirate prison a whimpering and screaming prisoner was dragged inside and his ankles had been rubbed raw from the manacles around them. There was a crow plucking an eye from another prisoner who was hanging in an iron cage. The sound of a door closed and on the crag nearby the surf was breaking on the rocks below. Coffins were being hauled into the waves by a couple of men and they left the cliff side and walked back inside. A crow flew down and landed silently on one of the coffins and started to peck at it until it was blown away by a pistol shot that seemed to come from inside the coffin itself. A tanned hand holding the pistol broke through the wood and it swung around as if to check in case anyone else was around before emerging fully.

Jack Sparrow broke through the wood and sat up in the coffin that was floating on the sea. He re-shaped his hat and put it on his head. Jack looked around the place he was at before reaching around into the coffin. There was a sharp crack as he pulled off the skeleton's leg. "Sorry mate." he muttered before he put it into the water to use as a paddle. "Do you mind if we make a little side trip? I didn't think so." He continued to use the leg as a paddle until he came to where a ship was docked. He signalled the people on board and a short balding man came to the side of the ship and helped him on board. He got the skeleton's leg in return.

"Not quite according to plan." he muttered. He followed Jack as he walked over to the helm.

"Complications arose, ensued, were overcome." Jack said. Gibbs passed the leg to Cotton.

"You got what you went in for, then?" he asked curiously.

"Muhuh." Jack mumbled nodding his head. He grabbed a piece of cloth and started to wave it around. He was met by a disgruntled looking crew.

"Captain, I think the crew - meaning me, as well," Gibbs started slowly. "Were expecting something a bit more..." he started to shake his hand at chest level as if visualizing what he was saying. "Shiny. What with the Isla de Muerta going all pear-shapes, reclaimed by the sea and the treasure with it."

"And the Royal Navy chasing us all around the Atlantic." someone piped up and Jack frowned.

"And the hurricane!" Marty said and everyone voiced their agreement.

"All in all, it seems some time since we did a speck of honest pirating." Gibbs told him and Jack looked at him.

"Shiny?"

Gibbs nodded his head. "Aye, shiny."

"Is that how you're all feeling, then? Perhaps dear ol' Jack is not serving your best interests as Captain?" Jack raised an eyebrow at them all.

"Awk, walk the plank." Cotton's parrot squawked and Cotton quickly put his hand over it's beak so it couldn't continue. Jack scowled and cocked his pistol and aimed it at the bird.

_"_What did the bird say?" he growled.

"Do not blame the bird." someone said. "Show us, what is on that piece of cloth there." Everyone looked pointedly at the roll of cloth in Jack's hand. The moment was broken when the undead monkey, Jack, dropped down and grabbed the cloth and ran away. Jack quickly shot at it and it dropped the cloth and Jack grabbed it again.

"You know that don't do no good." Gibbs told Jack.

"It does me." he scowled.

"It's a key." Marty said as he saw the cloth was unrolled.

"No, much more better! It is a drawing of a key." Jack said and unfolded it properly so the crew could see. Everyone just stared in silence as they stared at the piece of cloth. Jack seemed disconcerted. "Gentlemen, what do keys do?" Nobody said anything.

"Keys... unlock things?" someone eventually said unsurely.

"And whatever this key unlocks, inside there's something valuable. So, we're setting out to find whatever this key unlocks!" Gibbs exclaimed.

"No." Jack said making Gibbs more than confused. "We don't have the key, we can't open whatever it is we don't have that it unlocks. So, what purpose would be served in finding whatever need be unlocked, which we don't have, without first having found the key what unlocks it."

"So, we're going after this key!"

Jack frowned. "You're not making any sense at all." Gibbs looked even more baffled and frowned. "Any more questions?" he said as he looked around the ship to his crew.

"So... Do we have a heading?" Marty asked. Jack pulled out his compass and opened it.

"A heading. Set sail in a..." He frowned as the compass needle swung back and forth. Jack's finger followed it and decided to pick a random direction. "General... that way direction."

"Captain?"

"Come on. Snap to and make sail, you know how this works." Jack ordered, ignoring Gibbs. "Oi, oi!" He shooed the pirates out of his way and walked into his cabin and left his confused crew on their own.

"I've notice lately, the Captain seem to be acting a bit strange...er." Marty commented shrugging.

"Setting sail without knowing his own heading, something's got Jack vexed. You mark my words, what bodes ill for Jack Sparrow, bodes ill for us all." Gibbs sighed.

* * *

InPort Royal a map was being painted as Will and Charlotte was led into Beckett's office; still shackled. The two soldier that had them opened the door and ushered them inside. "Lord Beckett, the prisoners as ordered, sir." one said as they were led inside. Beckett looked up and walked around his deck.

"Those won't be necessary." he told them and pointed to their chains and they nodded and undid their chains. Charlotte rubbed her wrists and sighed. Beckett was pouring drinks she noted when she looked back up. "The East India Trading Company has need of your services." he said as he handed the drinks over, however they did not take them. "We wish for you to act as our agent in a business transaction with our mutual friend - Captain Sparrow." Charlotte's eyes narrowed.

"More acquaintance than friend. How do you know him?" Will said tonelessly.

"We've had dealings in the past." He held up a red-hot P brand and Charlotte narrowed her eyes dangerously. "And we've each left our mark on the other."

"What mark did he leave on you?" Charlotte asked but was ignored. She huffed and folded her arms around her chest. Beckett just placed the iron brand back in the fireplace and turned to face them once more.

"By your efforts, Jack Sparrow was set free. I would like you to go to him and recover a certain property in his possession." he told them.

"Recover. At the point of a sword?" Will asked, frowning.

"Bargain." he responded. He opened a wooden box with the East India Trading Company insignia on it and removes a leather case and took out a few sheaves of paper from within it. "Letters of Marque. You will offer what amounts to a full pardon - Jack will be free, a privateer in the employ of England."

"Somehow I doubt Jack will consider employment the same as being free." Charlotte scoffed.

"Freedom." Beckett scoffed back at her and put the papers away and walked out to the balcony. The two looked at each other before following him. "Jack Sparrow is a dying breed. The world is shrinking. The blank edges of the map filled in. Jack must find his place in the New World or perish. Not unlike you, Mr. Turner, Ms Turner. Yours and your fiancé Mr Turner face the hangman's noose."

"So you get both Jack and the Black Pearl."

"The Black Pearl?"

"The property you want that he possesses." Will stated and Beckett laughed lightly.

"A ship? Hardly. The item in question is considerably smaller and far more valuable. Something Sparrow keeps on his person at all times: a compass?" Recognition showed up on both their faces. "Ah, you know it. Bring back that compass, or there's no deal." Charlotte frowned.

"Why do you need me to help?" she asked. "Will could probably do this on his own."

"I heard you had something of a love affair with Sparrow." Beckett said and smirked at her.

"Wouldn't call it that." she muttered.

"You will be most useful."

* * *

Jack tapped his fingers on his desk as he looked over the map that was placed on the top of the desk. He looked at the compass and tapped it trying to get a heading and he grumbled under his breath when the compass refused to give a heading and co-operate. Jack leant forward and grabbed the bottle of rum and frowned. He turned it upside down and watched in disgust as a lone drop of rum fell onto the wood floor.

"Why is the rum always gone?" he muttered to himself as he dragged himself to his feet. He wobbled but righted himself. "Oh... that's why." He grabbed his hat and put it on his head and left the cabin and made his way to the stores, passing through the crew quarters. He looked at the crew and raised an eyebrow to them as they carried on sleeping and snored, some looked as though they were about to fall on the floor. "As you were, gents." he muttered and nodded his head before going into the stores. He looked around and noticed that it looked empty. His eyes lit up when he spotted a bottle and grabbed it. He frowned. That didn't feel right. He tipped it upside down and let out a sigh as sand came falling from it and landed on the ground._  
_  
"Time's run out, Jack." he heard a chilling voice croak and he spun around. He dropped the bottle on the floor and moved closer, the lantern lighting the way for him.

"Bootstrap. Bill Turner?" he questioned. Bootstrap emerged from the shadows and had barnacles covering his body and sea water spilling out from his mouth.

"You look good, Jack." Bootstrap croaked.

Jack just stared at him. "Is this a dream?" he mumbled.

"No."

"I thought not, if it were, there'd be rum." Jack sighed and watched as Bootstrap stretched his arm out to him with a creak and held out a bottle of rum. Jack stepped forward and grabbed it but had some difficulty getting it.

"You got the Pearl back, I see."

"I had some help retrieving the Pearl, by the way. Your son and daughter."

"William? Charlotte? Ended up pirates after all." Bootstrap said as his head snapped up.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of your carbuncle?" Jack asked as he took a swig.

"He sent me. Davy Jones."

Jack paused. "Ah. So it's you, then. He shanghaied you into service, eh?" Bootstrap looked at him intensely.

"I chose it. I'm sorry for the part I played in the mutiny against you, Jack." he said honestly. Jack looked revolted as a little crab escaped from Bootstraps sleeve and he grabbed it and ate it. "I stood up for ya. Everything went wrong after that. They strapped me to a cannon, I ended up on the bottom of the ocean, the weight of the water crushing down on me. Unable to move, unable to die, Jack, and I thought that even the tiniest hope of escaping this fate, I would take it. I would trade anything for it." Jack coughed and stood up straighter.

"It's funny what a man will do to forestall his final judgment." he said with a wave of his arms.

"You made a deal with him, too, Jack. He raised the Pearl from the depths for you, thirteen years you've been Captain."

"Technically, I..."

"Jack." Bootstrap muttered and shook his head sadly. "Won't be able to talk yourself out of this. The terms would apply to me; apply to you, as well. One soul, bound to crew a hundred years upon his ship."

"Yes, but The Flying Dutchman already has a Captain, so there's really -" Jack said but was interrupted.

"Then it's the Locker for you!" Bootstrap exclaimed. "Though this is terrible, the leviathan will find you and drag the Pearl back to the depths and you along with it."

Jack took a breath and looked up. "Any idea when Jones might release said terrible beastie?" he asked slightly nervously.

"I already told you, Jack. The time is up." he told him and put something into Jack's hand. "It comes now. Drawn with ravenous hunger for the man what bears the black spot." Jack opened his hand and his eyes widened seeing the black spot spread out on his palm. Bootstrap faded away and Jack, slightly panicked, rushed out to the crew quarters and started to shout.

"On deck all hands! Make faster - gasket! On deck! Scurry! Scurry on! Move it! Move it! I want movement!" Chaos broke out below deck.  
_  
_"Mr. Skinner, pick it up!" Jack heard Gibbs mutter as he tried to pull on his clothes before he ran up on deck.

"All on deck! Run! And keep running! Run as if the devil himself and itself was upon us!" he shouted. He wrapped his marked hand up with a strip of cloth and clenched his fist.

"Do we have a heading?" Gibbs asked.

Jack didn't seem to notice Gibbs as he kept looking around. "Ah! Rum! Land." he eventually said when he spotted Gibbs. Gibbs walked away but then spotted Jack under the stairs and went over to him. "Ah!"

"Which port?"

"I didn't say port. I said land, any land." Jack said frantically. Suddenly Jack, the undead monkey, climbed down and grabbed his hat. The monkey hissed at him, which Jack felt compelled to do the same back. "Ah!" Jack's hat was thrown overboard by the monkey.

"Jack's hat! Steer about." Gibbs shouted.

"No, no, leave it." Jack said as he stood up and everyone gave him funny looks. Jack loved that hat. "Rum." he muttered and hurried away.

"Back to your stations, the lot of ya!" Gibbs ordered and turned around. He quickly spotted Jack back under the stairs and frowned. "Jack?"

"Shh!"

"For the love of Mother and Child, Jack, what's coming after us?" he asked in a hushed whisper.

Jack hesitated. "Nothing." Gibbs frowned, something strange was going on and how were they meant to stop it if they didn't know what was going on? In the distance a boat snapped into pieces and was dragged under the ocean waves.


	3. A Somewhat Successful Search

**Chapter three**

**A Somewhat Successful Search **

Will and Charlotte packed what they needed and Charlotte changed her clothes. She walked down the steps and met up with her brother and smiled. "Do you think we could go and see Elizabeth before we leave?" he asked. Charlotte just stared at him and wondered if he was being serious. Did he really think she wouldn't let him see her? What an idiot.

"Of course." she replied and rolled her eyes. He smiled at her and opened the door to the Blacksmith's and she stepped outside. It was dark as it was late at night and the only real source of light was from the moon that was high up in the sky. Nearly a full moon. They got to the prison and jogged down the steps. The guard stepped out and stopped in front of them.

"You're not... you can't be here." he said and Charlotte narrowed her eyes.

Fortunately Governor Swann was here to help them out. "I think you'll find they can." he said as they guard was trying to stop them from entering the prison. The guard scowled but did eventually moved out of their way and let them pass.

"Mr Swann." the guard started but was cut off by Elizabeth's father.

"Governor Swann, still. Do you think I wear this wig to keep my head warm?" he said and pointed to the thing on his head. Charlotte bit her lip to stop herself from laughing out loud. It wasn't the time or the right atmosphere to start laughing. She sighed and stepped aside as Will went to the cell that held Elizabeth.

"Jack's compass? What does Beckett want with that?" she heard Elizabeth ask.

"Doesn't matter. Me and Charlotte are to find Jack and convince him to return to Port Royal and in exchange the charges against us will be dropped." Will explained to her.

"No, we must find our own avenue to secure your freedom." Governor Swann piped up and Will turned to look at him.

"Is that a lack of faith in Jack... or in me?" he asked and scowled slightly. Charlotte sighed; she just wanted to go already.

"You would risk your life to save Sparrow's does not mean that he would do the same for anyone else." Will quickly looked at charlotte, though no one saw. "Now, where's that dog with the keys?" Governor Swann started to look around and whistled for the dog.

"I have faith in you. Both of you. Where will you find him?" Elizabeth asked as she grasped the bars.

"Tortuga. We'll start there and we won't stop searching 'till we find him. And then I intend to return here to marry you." he said and stroked her cheek.

"Properly?"

"With your leave, if you'll still have me." Charlotte sighed and tapped her foot slightly. She was kind of annoyed. Yes, they loved each other but they needed to go.

"If it weren't for these bars, I'd have you already." she sighed. Charlotte smiled as she watched the Governor break a piece of the sconce off and look around nervously before dropping it in a dark corner. "I'll wait for you."

"Keep a weather eye on the horizon." Charlotte raised her eyebrow when she saw how close they were. It looked like they were going to kiss but then her idiotic brother tore himself away and stood up. He looked at Charlotte and nodded. She looked back at Elizabeth and smiled slightly before she left the jail and set out for Tortuga.

* * *

They had looked for him everywhere the past few days and they still couldn't find him. She though back to the times when they had asked people.

"Captain Jack Sparrow? Hadn't been thought about, heard he was dead." one sailor had said to them which wasn't helpful at all and she didn't like the thought of him dead.

"Singapore, that's what I heard. Drunk, with a smile. Sure as a tide, Jack Sparrow, turned up inSingapore." another said which was slightly more helpful than the last. When they were inTortuga they had met up with Giselle and Scarlett and their response had been less than helpful. They had told them to pass a message on to Jack and slapped Will across the face. Real helpful. Finally they had met someone who had a bit more information for them and she sighed in relief. She hated the search party.

"Can't say about Jack Sparrow, but this island just south of the straits where I trade spice for... delicious, long pork. Cannot say about Jack. But you'll find that ship there. A ship with black sails." he said. The man had been most kind and taken them aboard his ship and had taken them to it. However he stopped halfway and made them get into a small row boat. It was the man's brother who had taken them in the small row boat and they were rather confused when he suddenly stopped rowing.

"What's wrong, the beach is right there?" Will asked and pointed to the beach.

"Ne bougeais pas, c'set beaucoup trop dangereaux." he mumbled and Charlotte scrunched up her face.

"What?" her brother said dumbly.

"Je ne pois, c'est trop dangereaux, j'avais le dit." Charlotte shrugged and got ready to dive. "Bon voyage, monsieur." They dove into the water and came back up for air. They swam the rest of the way there and Charlotte was a little tired by the time they had made it to the shore.

"Jack! Jack Sparrow! Marty! Cotton! Anybody?" Will shouted as they came to the Black Pearl. They got no answer so they made their way into the jungle hoping to find them somewhere. Charlotte hissed as a branch flew backwards and scratched her face. Will didn't even seem to notice. She looked up about to yell at him for whacking her with a branch when she saw him looking up and realised that Cotton's parrot was sat on a branch. That means they have to be close. "Ah, a familiar face."

"Awk, don't eat me!" it squawked and Charlotte and Will exchanged a confused look.

"We're not going to eat you." Charlotte said soothingly.

"Don't eat me. Don't eat me. Awk!" Charlotte pushed Will's back to get him moving again and sighed when he stopped again.

"What now?" she asked.

"Gibbs." he said and she frowned. What about Gibbs? She moved around him and looked to see that Gibb's canteen was hanging from a tree. What is it doing there and why is it not with Gibbs? Will grabbed it and found a piece of string tied to it and started to follow it.

"Be careful." Charlotte hissed and gasped when Will was suddenly dangling in the air. He was hanging upside down and had his sword in his hand; Charlotte was too shocked to even move. Suddenly some natives sprung out from their hiding spots and Charlotte's eyes widened as she watched Will try and fight them whilst upside down.

"Come on! Let's go! Come on, who wants it? I can do this all day!" Will yelled. The natives looked at each other and one shrugged. They pulled something out and shot a dart into Will's neck. He went limp. That seemed to bring Charlotte out of her stupor and she spun on her heels only to crash into another one of the natives. She gulped and smiled nervously.

"Hi." she said weakly and yelped when he grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder roughly. She grunted and saw Will being tied up like a side of meat on a roasting stick. She tried to get free but, surprisingly, it turns out that these people are incredibly strong. They carried them up to their village and suddenly stopped.

"Kali kali ten dah dah." the one carrying her said. Will seemed to wake up and Charlotte was just annoyed because she couldn't see anything as she was over his shoulder facing the other way.

"Jack?" Will yelled and Charlotte perked up. "Jack Sparrow. I can honestly say I'm glad to see you." She looked to her right and saw Jack stood next to her brother and it seemed like he had paint all over his face. Jack started to poke his shoulder and looked back up. "Jack, it's me, Will Turner!"

_"_Pah se ko?" Jack said and Charlotte blanched. How could he talk and understand them?

"Teen dada, eeseetis." one of them said and everyone seemed to agree with it. "Eeseetis."

"Tell them to let me down." Will yelled. Jack turned back to Will and frowned.

"Kele lam. Nom piki piki, nom minsi winsi." he said and then went to Will's backside. "Lam seisei, eunichi. Snip snip." he said and mimed scissors. Charlotte laughed softly and quietly. The natives all went 'aah' in understanding and that kind of freaked Charlotte out.

"Eunichi." they all yelled. Will spotted Jack's compass hanging from his belt and his eyes widened.

"Jack, the compass, it's all I need. Elizabeth is in danger. Me, Elizabeth and Charlotte were arrested for trying to help you. She faces the gallows!" Will yelled and Jack paused and only seemed to see Charlotte who was now on the floor at the man's feet. He tilted his head to the side and then approached the natives.

"Seiserom shup shup sha smame mame shuku, savvy? Maliki liki." he said and waved Will away.

"Maliki liki! Maliki liki!" One of them came up to Jack and seemed to whisper something to him as he widened his eyes and looked at Charlotte. She frowned and watched her brother get taken away. Jack bent down to Will and whispered something to him before he left and he was carried of with a chant of 'boom shoukoo'

"Jack, what did you tell them? No! What about Elizabeth? Jaaack!" Will screamed as he was carried away. The natives were getting ready for some kind of Ceremony, Charlotte noticed and there was drums playing loudly. She was suddenly picked up making her squeak and was placed on Jack's lap. He smiled at her and she smiled back, even though she was kind of confused and a little nervous. Two natives came over to them and attached a necklace of human toes and fingers around their necks. Charlotte smiled grimly and nearly gagged.

"Thank you." Jack said and they left. Charlotte watched in disgust as Jack picked up one of the toes and studied it. She gagged when he bit the tip of the nail, chewed it a little and then spat it back out.

"That is absolutely vile." she whispered. "What is going on?" Jack looked at her and smiled nervously. She raised her eyebrows and he chuckled awkwardly.

* * *

Will had been taken away from where his sister and Jack was and had been put into some cage made of bones with some of the crew. The cage was suspended in the air between two cliffs. "Why would he do this to us? If Jack is the chief..." Will started to complain but was but cut off by Gibbs.

"Aye. The Pelegostos have made Jack their chief. But he only remains chief as long as he acts like a chief."

"So he had no choice. He's a captive there as much as the rest of us. And my sister?" Will said.

"Worse, as it turns out. You see, the Pelegostos believe that Jack is a god in human form. And they intend to do 'im the honor of releasing him from his fleshy prison." he said and gasped as Cotton bit Gibbs right hand. Gibbs snatched it away and scowled at him._ "_They'll roast him and eat him."

"What about my sister?" he demanded.

"Well, my guess is that they believe she is a goddess. She has the same fate as Jack." he explained.  
**  
**"Where's the rest of the crew?" Will said and took a deep breath.

Gibbs smiled gravely. "These cages we're in weren't built 'till after we got here." he said and Will quickly snatched his hand away from the cage in alarm."The feast is about to begin. Jack's and Charlotte's life will end... when the drums stop." They all stopped and listened to the drums in the background and Will frowned trying to think.

"Well, we can't just sit here and wait then, can we?" he said and looked at them. They all looked at him and frowned. What could they possibly do?

* * *

Charlotte gulped as she watched the cannibals chucking wood on the fire they had made for them. Jack had told her everything and she had not been amused to say the least. When it looked like the fire was about done Jack quickly jumped up and pulled Charlotte with him. He ran forward and started waving his hands in the air. "No! No no. Oi, no no! More wood. Big fire. Big fire! I am chief, want big fire! C'mon then. Oi" he yelled and motioned to one of the canniblas behind the throne. "Maboogey snickle snickle. Toute suite. C'mon." He shooed the native away. "More wood."

He smiled as he saw them pile on big logs and slyly walked over to Charlotte and grabbed her hand before sprinting away. They ran across a rickety bridge, past some huts and Charlotte had to grab him when he nearly fell off a cliff. "Thanks luv." They walked back into the camp and picked up a long bamboo stick, smiled and then suddenly lost the smile and dropped it. Charlotte frowned in confusion but followed him into the hut he had went into. The hut was filled with what looked like items that had been stolen by pirates. Jack found a length of rope and put it over his arm and picked up a can of paprika.

"Jack, what are you doing?" she asked but he ignored her. She noticed that when he turned the can it had the logo for the East India Trading Company on it. He waved his hand and she followed him out of the hut and they abruptly stopped when they find their subjects waiting for them outside.

"Oh, bugger." he said and dropped the rope and with a flourish he uncapped the paprika and started sprinkling it under his arms and in Charlotte's face. She scowled and spat some of it out her mouth. "A little seasoning, aye?" He laughed softly and threw the can away and smelt himself faintly and smiled nervously at the glare he was getting from Charlotte. They were grabbed and tied to a pole and hoisted onto the cannibal's shoulders and taken up to the village. Once they were there they were hoisted over the kindling and a few more branches were added at the last minute.

"Well done." Jack muttered and Charlotte sighed. They were about to be killed and eaten. Happy days.

* * *

In the cages the crew was swinging backwards and forwards in the cages trying to reach the side of the cliff. They nearly made it but slipped on the last second. The second time they grabbed onto the grass but it was torn off in their hands and they fell back. After several more tries they finally managed to grab onto the stronger vines.

"Put your legs through! Start the climb!" Gibbs yelled.

"Come on men, it'll take all of us to crew the Black Pearl!" Will said and someone from the other cage started to talk.

"Actually, you wouldn't need everyone. About six would do." he said and the two groups exchanged a tense look. "Oooh, dear." Will looked towards Gibbs who nodded in a agreement.

"Hurry!" Will shouted and the two groups rushed trying to outdo each other in the climb.

"Heave! Is that all you've got?" Marty yelled. Will looked up and his eyes widened when he saw a young native pass on the bridge to their left.

"Stop, stop." he yelled quietly.

The same pirate from before looked at him and put his finger to his lips and smirked. "Shh." He motioned for the crew to continue and they started to move on ignoring Will who tried to get them to stop. The pirate laughed but then screamed when he grabbed a poisonous snake instead of a vine. Everyone in that cage let go and the other group watched as they fell backwards and the rope holding the cage over the ravine snapped and the tumbled down, screaming the entire way. The commotion drew the attention of the young native and he turned around.

"Move!" Will yelled deeply and they started to climb when the young native ran off back to the village.

Charlotte and Jack were starting to panic now. They were tied up and one of the cannibal's were about to light the fire and there was no sign of Will at all. "Aii, fai fai!" the one with the torch called and lowered it in order to light the fire underneath them, but stopped when the young cannibal came running in.

"La esta so, la pelesa so. Eva kaka seisei." he yelled and everyone, especially Charlotte, stopped and paused and looked around in confusion.

"Well, go on, go get them! Helalla!" Jack ordered.

"Helalla!" the cannibal's echoed and the one holding the torch dropped on the floor next to the kindling and they all ran off. "No no, oi! No, no. Not good." Jack stammered and Charlotte's eyes widened seeing it was on fire. Jack started blowing on the spreading embers but the kindling just lit up anyway and he started to blow faster. Charlotte couldn't do anything as she was at the other side of the fire. "Bounce." he ordered Charlotte. She frowned and looked at him to see him bouncing. Good idea. She too started bouncing and they managed to dislodge themselves and rolled down, Jack next to where fire was. Charlotte managed to get out of the ropes but Jack only managed to get his legs free. "Help!" he cried and struggled to get free.

Charlotte ran over to him and tired to get the binds off. "I'm sorry." she said in despair. "It's too tight." He rolled over and she helped him up.

"Come on." he said and they started to run, Jack still tied to the stick.

* * *

Will and the crew had managed to make it to the top of the cliff and ordered them to find a rock and cut them loose. It had been about five minutes and they still had not been able to do it. They looked back and saw a huge group of cannibals running towards them. Unfortunately they were still in the cage.

"Roll the cage!" Will yelled. They rolled off and the cannibals were running after them. They banged into a tree and rolled up it and back down and crashed to the ground. "Lift the cage!"

"Hurry!" the crew yelled.

"Lift it high like a lady's skirt." Gibbs said and they all lifted the cage and started to run, holding it like a skirt. The cannibal's were still behind them. Whilst the crew was running from the cannibal's, Jack and Charlotte were running across the plank bridge. Jack was hunched over because of the pole. They ran back to the huts and tried to free his hands again. This time they managed to get his hands free but the ropes refused to loosen around his waist and he was still stuck to the pole. Charlotte spotted a native kid holding a knife and fork. She shrugged and sidled up to him and grabbed the knife from his hand making him run off. She was about to cut the rope so that he could be free when they spot two women staring at them. Charlotte watched as Jack screamed and charged at them. They simply stepped aside and he ran pole-first into a pile of coconuts, and one actually got stuck to the tip of the pole he was tied to. From the look on his face Charlotte was sure he seemed to have gotten an idea and just watched from the side lines. Jack seemed to launch the coconut at one of the women and Charlotte's eyes widen as she caught it without difficulty. Jack and Charlotte looked at each other and gulped.

Charlotte didn't know how it happened but somehow Jack was being attacked by various fruits which he was blocking with his arms. Some of the fruit ended up being strung onto both ends of the bamboo stick. From the look on his face Charlotte could tell he had, had enough.

"Stop it!" he yelled and the two women stopped and stared at him. "Come here." he whispered to Charlotte and she walked over to him. He grabbed her hands and motioned to put them around him and she did as told. With a yell, Jack ran for the cliff and the front of the pole lodges in the ground and they flipped to the other side, landing upright just on the edge. Charlotte opened her eyes and breathed a sigh in relief. That was without a doubt the most scariest thing she had ever done. Suddenly the fruit started to slide down and they overbalanced and fell off the cliff. They screamed and the pole was getting stuck on the side as it got narrower and the rope started to untangle and Jack stopped with his ankle caught in it and he grabbed Charlotte's hands as she fell passed him.

The stick started to dislodge itself and was about to break. "Bugger." Jack cursed right before the stick broke in half and they started to fall again. They crashed through bridges and screamed the whole way down. Jack fell on the ground and Charlotte landed on top of him. They groaned and heard all the fruit landing in various places beside them and flinched when the pole landed right by their heads.

"Well that was lucky." she said sarcastically.

* * *

The crew had finally managed to make it to the Black Pearl and Pintel and Ragetti were already there. Gibbs thumped Pintel on the back and grinned. "Excellent, our work's half done!"

"We done it for you! Knew you'd be coming back for it." Pintel lied as he and Ragetti were planning on taking the ship for themselves but where too late.

"Make ready to sail, boys!"

"What about Jack and my sister? I won't leave without them." Will said as he got on the ship.

"Oi!" a voice sounded from the distant and they all turned around to look for the voice. They saw Charlotte and Jack rounding a corner of the island and the cannibal's were soon following them.

"Time to go." Will said simply and they all rushed about trying to get the ship going.

"Cast off those lines!" Gibbs ordered.

"Make ready to cast off!" Ragetti said and ran to the other side of the boat. Jack and Charlotte ran as fast as they could to the boat.

"Oi!" Jack yelled again and Charlotte's eyes widened when she saw the dog from Port Royal. The key dog. "Good doggy." Jack said and they swam out to the Pearl and clung to the net. Charlotte climbed aboard but Jack stayed out and waved. "Alas, my children, this is the day you shall always remember as the day that you almost -" he was cut off by a wave that splashed him from head to toe and he continued half-heartedly. "- Captain Jack Sparrow." Charlotte rolled her eyes. She watched as the cannibal's lamented the loss of their meal and frowned as they spotted the dog that was barking. They turned to it and she watched horrified as they chased the poor creature. _  
_  
"Let's put some distance between us and this island and head out to open sea." Gibbs suggested.

"Yes to the first, yes to the second, but only as so far as we keep to the shallows as much as possible." Jack said and Pintel and Ragetti draped Jack's coat over his shoulders. Pintel saluted when Jack glanced at him.

"Now, that seems a bit contradictory, Captain." Gibbs said, frowning. **  
**  
"I have every faith in your reconciliatory navigational skills, Master Gibbs. Now, where is that monkey? I want to shoot something." he muttered. As on cue, Ragetti's wooden eye dropped onto the floor and Ragetti smiled widely and grabbed it.  
**  
**"Jack." Will said loudly and Jack looked at him. "Elizabeth is in danger."

Jack moved off but kept an eye on the monkey. "Have you considered keeping a more watchful eye on her. Maybe just lock her up somewhere?" he said absently.

Will glared at him. "She is locked up in a prison, bound to hang for helping you. Charlotte has the same fate. We all do."

Jack looked at Charlotte, who was sat petting the monkey. "There comes a time when one must take responsibility for one's mistakes." he said quietly and looked down.

Will snatched a sword off a nearby pirate and brought it to Jack's throat. "I need that compass of yours, Jack. I must trade it for their freedom." Will said and scowled.

Jack looked calmly at him and pushed the sword away. "Mr. Gibbs?" he called.

"Captain?"

"We have a need to travel upriver." he said and looked at him.

"By need, do you, mean a trifling need, fleeting, as in, say, a passing fancy?" Gibbs questioned.

"No, a resolute and unyielding need. " he told him and Gibbs looked worried.

"What we need to do is make sail for Port Royal with all haste." Will said loudly making Charlotte look up.

"William..." Jack sighed. "I shall trade you the compass, if you will help me..." He took out the drawing of the key out of his pocket and handed it to Will. "...to find this."

"You want me to find this?" Will indicated the key on the drawing and looked up.

Jack shook his head and smiled slightly. "No. You want you to find this. Because the finding of this, finds you incapacitorially finding and/or locating in your discovering the detecting of a way to save your dolly belle ol' what's her face. Savvy?" he said and Will frowned and looked at the drawing intently.

"This is going to save Elizabeth?" Jack looked at him intently and shrugged.

"How much do you know about Davy Jones?" he asked and took a step closer.

"Not much." he admitted and Jack smiled widely and took the cloth back.

"Yeah, it's going to save Elizabeth." he said positively and gave Charlotte one last look before he went into his cabin.


	4. Tia Dalma

**Chapter Four**

**Tia Dalma**

They sailed for about six hours before they finally made it to their desired destination. The sky had grown dark and the air had grown cold. Charlotte had not really talked to Jack much as he had been at the helm and he looked like he was in deep thought most of the time and she, truthfully, didn't have the courage to. The Black Pearl got anchored and two row boats got lowered and went up river into an overgrown gloomy swamp.

"Why is Jack afraid of the open ocean?" Charlotte heard her brother ask and decided to listen in as she was curious herself. Predictably, Gibbs answered his question.

"Well, if you believe such things, there's a beast that does the bidding of Davy Jones. A fearsome creature with giant tentacles that suction your face clean off and drag an entire ship down to the crushing darkness. The Kraken. They say the stench of its breath is... ooh." he explained and stopped as he shuddered and then started to speak again. "Imagine, the last thing you know on God's green earth is the roar of the Kraken and the reeking odour of a thousand rotting corpses." Ragetti and Pintel cowered. "If you believe such things." Charlotte frowned. Was that true?  
**  
**"And the key will spare him that?" Will asked.

"Now that's the very question Jack wants answered. Bad enough even to go visit... _her_." Gibbs said slowly and Will raised an eyebrow.

"Her?"

"Aye." he said simply and said no more. They finally sailed up to a hut and strange people were following their progress with their eyes. Charlotte swallowed and looked forward. Jack stepped onto the landing and grabbed Charlotte and helped her out. She smiled and he smiled warmly back. _  
_  
"No worries, mates. Tia Dalma and I go way back. Thick as thieves. Nigh inseparable we are. Were. Have been. Before." he said, slightly uneasy and Charlotte frowned.

"I'll watch your back." Gibbs said as he got out of the boat.

"It's me front I'm worried about." he muttered and walked toward the hut.

"Mind the boat." Gibbs told Will and Charlotte watched as it went down the line. Will told Ragetti, who told Pintel, who told Marty, who told Cotton.

"Mind the boat." the parrot squawked and flew off leaving Cotton to mind the boat. Charlotte giggled and ran to the hut and watched as Jack cautiously crept into the house. She heard a deep voice talk with slight amusement in it. It was definitely female.

"Jack Sparrow." The woman had dark skin and her hair was black and to her shoulders.

"Tia Dalma." Jack muttered and almost knocked his head against a hanging jar of eyeballs from above. He scrunched up his nose and moved over to the side. Charlotte looked curiously about the place. There was many things about the place and everything seemed random.

"I always knowed the wind was going to blow you back to me one day." Tia Dalma said as she approached Jack. She looked to the group and paused on Charlotte. She smiled slightly before she moved to her brother. She pointed to him. "You. You have a touch a' destiny about you. William. Turner." Will raised his eyebrows and looked nervous and confused.

"You know me?" he asked unnerved.

Tia Dalma smiled seductively. "You want to know me." she said, leaning closer.

"There'll be no knowing here." Jack said and quickly intervened between them. He cleared his throat and looked at Charlotte. "We've come for help and we're not leaving without it." He led Tia Dalma away from Will. "I thought I knew you." he said to her quietly.

"Not so well as I'd hoped." she said and gave him a look. She headed to the back of the room. "Come."

"Come." Jack said and motioned them over. Charlotte bit her lip to not laugh as Tia Dalma started to caress her brother's face and smile at him.

"What service may I do ya?" she said softly before, directing it in Jack's general direction, this time more roughly. "You know I demand payment."

Jack pointed and smiled widely. "I brought payment." he said and whistled and Gibbs brought over a cage and unveiled it. Jack the monkey was sat inside the cage. "Look..." he said cheerfully and grabbed his pistol and shot it making the monkey shriek and jump about the cage. Charlotte sighed, she liked that monkey. "...an undead monkey. Top that!" Tia Dalma looked at it and then unlocked the cage and let it run to a low table. Gibbs winced.

"No. You've no idea how long it took us to catch that." he moaned.

Tia Dalma waved her arm dismissively. "The payment is fair." Jack grinned and looked about the room as Will pulled out the cloth.

"We're looking for this." he said and laid it out on the table. "And what it goes to."

Tia Dalma looked at it and then up at Jack. "The compass you bartered from me, it cannot lead you to this?" she asked curiously and he looked a little panicked.

"Maybe. Why?" Tia Dalma smirked at him and started to laugh.

"Aah. Jack Sparrow does not know what he wants. Or do you know but are loath to claim it as your own." she said and Charlotte frowned, wondering what she meant and missed the glances she got from Jack and Tia Dalma. "Your key go to a chest. And it is what lay inside the chest you seek. Don't it?" she went on.

"What is inside?" Gibbs asked as he stepped forward.

"Gold? Jewels? Unclaimed properties of valuable nature?" Pintel asked hungrily.

"Nothing bad, I hope." Ragetti said as he looked at the jar of eyes.

"You know of Davy Jones, yes?" Tia Dalma asked and everyone nodded."A man of the sea. A great sailor. Until he run afoul of that which vex all men." Charlotte rolled her eyes when she saw Jack pocket something when he thought no one was looking. He caught her look and winked as if to say 'keep quiet'.  
**  
**"What vexes all men?" Will asked and she teasingly touched his hand.

"What indeed." she said quietly and smiled at him.

"The sea?" Gibbs said.

"Sums." Pintel suggested.

"The dichotomy of good and evil." Ragetti said and Gibbs and Pintel shot him a look and he shut up.

"A woman!" Jack piped up and looked at Charlotte when she wasn't looking.

Tia Dalma smirked at him. "A woman. He fell in love." Gibbs frantically shook his head.

"No no no no, I heard it was the sea he fell in love with." he countered and Tia Dalma gave him a look and waved her hand.

"Same story, different version and all are true. See it was a woman as changing, and harsh and untameable as the sea. He never stopped loving her. But the pain it caused him was too much to live with. But not enough to cause him to die." she explained and it was silent for a while.

"What exactly did he put into the chest?" Charlotte asked, breaking the silence. Tia looked at her and smiled. She put her hand against her breast and mimicked cutting.

"Him heart." she said quietly.

"Literally or figuratively?" Ragetti asked.

"He couldn't live, putting his heart in a chest. Could he?" Pintel said shaking his head.

"It was not worth feeling what small, fleeting joy life brings. And so, him carved out him heart, lock it down in a chest, and hide the chest from the world. The key he keep with him at all times." she said softly.

"You knew this." Will said to Jack, glaring at him. Jack whipped his head around.

"I did not." he countered. "I didn't know where the key was. But now we do. So, all that's left is to climb aboard the Flying Dutchman, grab the key, you go back to Port Royal and save your bonnie lass, aye?"

Tia Dalma suddenly stood up. "Let me see your hand." she said to Jack. Jack offered his right hand and she gave him a stern look and gave her his other one, the one that was wrapped up. She undid the makeshift bandage and everyone looked at his hand.

Gibbs gasped. "The black spot!" he exclaimed and dusted himself off and spun around on the ground before spitting on it once he had made the circle. Charlotte and Will frowned in confusion. "The black spot." Pintel and Ragetti followed Gibb's ritual.

"The black spot." they said in unison and Jack scowled.

"My eyesight's as good as ever, just so you know." he said annoyed and took his hand out of hers and glanced again at Charlotte. Tia Dalma started to rummage around in the back of her hut talking to herself. Jack went and stood next to Charlotte and stole another trinket from the table. Charlotte sighed and gave him a look. He smiled widely. Tia Dalma came back in and returned with a jar in her arms.

"Davy Jones cannot make port. Cannot step on land but once every ten years. Land is where you will be safe, Jack Sparrow, and so you will carry land with you." she explained and offered him the jar in her arms. Jack took it and looked at the jar before glancing back up.

"Dirt. This is a jar of dirt." he said tonelessly and gave her a look.

She simply just nodded. "Yes." she said as thought she didn't know what the problem was.

Jack frowned. "Is the... jar of dirt going to help?" he asked unsurely.

"If you don't want it, give it back." she said and stretched her arms out but he clutched the jar to his chest protectively.

"No." he said quickly.

Tia smiled wickedly. "Then it helps." she said and put down her arms.

"It seems... we have a need to find the Flying Dutchman." Will deadpanned and sighed. He scowled and Jack.

"A touch..." Charlotte heard Tai mutter and looked back to see her pick up some random items and used them to scry and drop them on a table with something resembling a map drawn on it. "...of destiny." Jack grabbed Charlotte's hand and started to drag her out of the hut.

"Thanks so much Tia." he said on the way out and Charlotte look back and looked at Tia Dalma. Tia smiled at her and winked before she walked in the back of the hut.


	5. Davy Jones

**Chapter Five**

**Davy Jones**

They had sailed for the rest of the night to get to their destination and by now there was a storm in progress and they were soaked to the bone and cold from the wind that was trying to knock them over. They had anchored the ship and Charlotte came out of the Captain's Cabin to see what was going on. She went to the portside of the ship and looked over the railing, where the others were. There was a broken ship on the reefs a few miles away from them. This was where Will was apparently meant to go and she didn't like the thought of him going over to the Flying Dutchman.

"That's the Flying Dutchman?" Will asked sceptically and Gibbs nodded his head in answer. "She doesn't look like much." He said as he looked out at it and Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"Neither do you... do not underestimate it." Jack told him and elbowed Gibbs who then spoke up, and Charlotte narrowed her eyes at him.

"Must've run afoul of the reef." he muttered and Jack nodded his head.

"What's your plan?" Jack asked and Charlotte looked up, this is something that she would like to know aswell.

"I row over; search the ship until I find your bloody key." Will grumbled and Charlotte frowned. Surely he could have figured something better than that? There was a strong possibility that he could die and that was the best he could come up with?

"And if there are crewmen?" Jack raised his eyebrows and Will sighed.

"I cut down anyone in my path." he told him and walked off. He so needed a better plan, thought Charlotte miserably and irritably.

"I like it. Simple. Easy to remember." Jack nodded and Charlotte walked over to him and placed her hand on his arm. He looked down at it and then looked at her worried expression. "Yes luv?" he asked with a small frown.

"Are you sure he will be alright?" she asked and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders soothingly.

"Of course." he said softly and smiled at her. She smiled back albeit it was a small smile. Will then climbed down into a tossing row boat and sat in it.

"Your chariot awaits you. Ahahaha!" Ragetti laughed and Charlotte scowled at him. He was getting on her nerves.

"Oi!" Jack shouted down to Will. "If you do have to get captured, just say Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt. Might save your life." Will did reply but Charlotte tightened her hold on Jack and he rubbed her arms.

"Move on out, ahahaha!" Ragetti snickered and Will rowed towards the landed ship that was further away. Jack turned around to face the crew.

"Douse the lamps." He told them and the lamps immediately went out and they were drowned in shadow. Will made it to the ship and he looked around but there was nothing but dead bodies lying around. He looked around and spotted a man frantically trying to raise the sail and muttering to himself about Davy Jones. Will cautiously walked over to him and pushed some sopping hair out of his eyes.

"Sailor. Sailor!" he said, trying to get his attention but it didn't seem to be working. "There's no use, you've run aground." He told him. The sailor started muttering to himself and he only caught bits of it.

"No, many of us... without a prayer." Was all he got before a body fell from the mast and the man crawled and then laid still.

"Hey! Hey!" Will shouted and ran to him and turned him over. He flinched back when he saw that the man's face was unrecognizable. It was like it had been sucked off and was twisted. Will grimaced and swallowed back the bile in his throat. Just then the water splashed and the Flying Dutchman reared up out of the water. The sailor's materialized out of the ships sides and started to round up those of the survivors of the crash.

"Go on your whereabouts and pray." One of them said in a deep voice. When they came towards Will he started to fight and he dipped his sword in some oil and smashed a lantern so his sword was on fire. The undead pirates started to back away as he pointed his sword at them.

"Get back! Back!" Will yelled and sliced at one of them in the stomach. He blanched slightly when fish poured out of the wound and distracted him. The undead pirates took advantage of this distraction and knocked him on the head and knocked him out. When he awoke he was lined up on the Flying Dutchmanand was with another four survivors. They were all waiting for Davy Jones and he looked up when he heard the thudding step.

"Five men still alive, the rest have moved on." A hammer head shark pirate by the name of Maccus said to his captain. Davy Jones limped over and crouched in front of a whimpering sailor and light up his pipe.

"Do you fear death-uh?" Davy asked in his Scottish accent. "Do you fear that dark abyss?" The sailor nodded his head, shivering from cold and fright. "All your deeds laid bare. All your sins punished. I can offer you an escape." The sailor looked up but couldn't respond as someone interrupted. It was a sailor from the front of the row. He had a crucifix in his hand which was shaking badly.

"Don't listen to him!" he stammered and Davy's head snapped to him and his eyes narrowed. Jones stepped over to him and grabbed his throat with his clawed hand.

_"_Do you not fear death?" he asked.

"I'll take my chances, sir." He said timidly.

"To the depths." He said boredly and a pirate stepped up from behind and sliced his throat open before throwing the body overboard.

"Cold blood!" one of the sailor cried horrified and Davy scowled.

"Life is cruel. Why should the afterlife be any different? I offer you a choice. Join my crew and postpone the judgment. One hundred years before the ye serve?"

The sailor hesitated before he answered. "I-I-I will serve." He stuttered.

"That-a." He muttered before he walked up to Will. "You are neither dead nor dying. What is your purpose here?" he spat and Will cringed before replying. He wondered whether or not he should say what Jack had told him to. Jack did say that it might save his life but it might just get him killed sooner. He decided to just say it.

"Jack Sparrow sent me to settle his debt." He said a little unsurely. Davy paused and tilted his head.

"What is your purpose here?" he asked again and bent down slightly.

"Jack Sparrow... sent me to settle his debt." He gulped and looked away from him.

"Ha. Did he now? I'm sorely tempted to accept that offer." He said maliciously before he stood back up. Over on the Black PearlJack was stood next to Charlotte and had grabbed his telescope and looked over to the Flying Dutchman. He felt Charlotte grab tight a hold of his coat and press her body closer to his. He rather liked the feeling and warmth she was passing over to him and lowered his telescope. He jumped when he realised the reason for her closeness. Davy Jones was stood right in front of him and had a scowl on his face. His crew gasped and tried to get as far away as possible but Davy's crew had come aboard as well and seized them and didn't allow them to move any further. Charlotte seemed too shocked to move but he kept her behind him.

"Oh." He murmured and put his telescope away and pushed Charlotte back slightly so she wasn't in view.

"You have a debt to pay." He snarled as he walked toward Jack, who then walked backward and took Charlotte with him. Something Davy noticed._ "_You've been Captain of the Black Pearl for thirteen years. That was our agreement."  
**  
**"Technically, I was only Captain for two years, then I was viciously mutinied upon." Jack countered and held up his hand trying to salvage some hope.

"Then you were a poor Captain, but a Captain nonetheless. Have you not introduced yourself all these years as 'Captain Jack Sparrow'?" he mocked and his crew laughed. Jack grit his teeth.  
**  
**"Yeah, I gave you payment. One soul to serve on your ship is already over there." He said and motioned to the Flying Dutchman**. **He heard Charlotte gasp and her hold on him tightened. How could he do this? The bastard was going to let her brother get wrapped up into Davy Jones' crew! She blinked back the angry tears and took a large breath. No point crying over this.

"One soul is not equal to another." Davy spat and Jack grinned widely and opened his arms wide.

"Aha! So we've establish my proposal is sound in principle, now we're just haggling over price." He said and Davy stopped and looked at him.

"Price?" he asked and tilted his head to the side.

"Just how many souls, do you think, my soul is worth?" Jack asked and Charlotte groaned.

"One hundred souls. Three days." Davy said after about five seconds and Jack clapped his hands.

"You're a darling, mate. Send me back the boy, I'll get started right off." He said and Charlotte was pleased he was trying to get Will back. Maybe he didn't want Will over there in the first place. Jack grabbed her hand and tried to walk away but they were stopped by Maccus.  
**  
**"I keep the boy, a good, faith payment. That leaves you only ninety-nine to go. Haha, haha." He laughed and threw his head back. Jack let go of her hand and walked over to Jones.

"Have you not met Will Turner? He's noble, heroic, a terrific soprano. Worth at least four, maybe three and a half." He said and Charlotte folded her arms. By now he had started to circle Jones. "And did I happen to mention... he's in love. With a girl. Due to be married. Betrothed. Dividing him from her and her from him would only be half as cruel as actually allowing them to be joined in holy matrimony. Aye?" For a moment it seems as though what he had said had worked and Charlotte held her breath and hope flared within her heart. Jones paused before he spoke again, his eyes hard compared to the softness they were just a second ago.

"I keep the boy." He snapped and glared at Jack. "Ninety-nine souls-ah. But I wonder, Sparrow... can you live with this? Can you condemn an innocent man - a friend - to a lifetime of servitude in your name while you roam free?"

Jack thought for a second before he answered and threw a sad look at Charlotte that only she seemed to catch. He looked almost sorry. "Yep. I'm good with it. Shall we seal it in blood, I mean, uh, ink?" Jack held out his hand and grimaced and then let out a small sound as Jones grabbed Jack's left hand with his tentacle one as they shook on it. "Ah."

"Three days-ah." Jones repeated and then his crew echoed what he had said as well before they all disappeared. Jack looked at his slimy hand and watched as the black spot seemed to disappear.

"Uh, Mr. Gibbs?" he said quietly and Gibbs came rushing over.  
**  
**"Aye."

"I feel sullied and unusual." He admitted and Charlotte tapped her foot impatiently.

"And how do we intend to harvest these ninety-nine souls in three days?" Gibbs questioned and Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Fortunately, he was mum as the condition in which these souls need be." He said to him and a look of realisation came over Gibbs.

"Aah, Tortuga." Jack nodded his head and wiped his slimy hand on Gibbs vest. Gibbs looked at it and wrinkled his nose and the look on his face said he wanted to slap Jack right now.

"Tortuga." Jack repeated and walked away. Charlotte followed him into the cabin and shut the door behind him.

"How could you?" she demanded and he took off his hat and looked at her. He sat down behind the desk and sighed.

"Luv, I tried to get him back. There was nothing I could do so that is why I said what I did." Jack said tiredly and looked up at her and she was amazed to see regret in them. "I promise, I will try and help get him back, but I cannot promise anything darling." Charlotte looked at him and sighed. She walked over to him and sat on the desk.

"Okay." She said meekly. He smiled and pulled her into his lap.

"I am sorry." He whispered. "I didn't mean to intentionally hurt you." Charlotte breathed in his scent. Rum, sea water and a type of musk. She nodded her head and sat up. She leaned forward and pressed her lips softly against his slightly chapped ones.


	6. Once Again Finding a Crew

**Chapter Six**

**Once Again Finding a Crew**

They sailed to Tortuga for the rest of the night and because of the wind they managed to get there a few hours earlier than expected. They anchored the ship and Cotton and Marty was to stay and mind the ship whilst they were gone. They got off and Jack seemed to be looking around as they walked down the streets. They came to The Faithful Bride and walked inside. Gibbs went to a table and started on getting them a crew straight away. Jack bought us some rum and went over to a corner and sat down. Charlotte just drank her drink and watched everyone in the tavern.

She looked up when she heard Jack curse and was scowling at his compass. "Is everything ok Jack?" she asked and his head snapped up to look at her. He forced a grin on his face and nodded his head.

"Everything's fine luv." he said and took a swig of his rum. He shook his compass and grumbled under his breath. Charlotte frowned. What was he so upset about? Was it not working. She saw Jack look from the compass and then at her and she frowned. Why was he looking at her? Maybe he thinks you are trying to snoop, she thought. She looked away and she felt his eyes on her form. Charlotte remembered the last time she was here and the population was just as disorderly and as loud as before. She looked over to Gibbs who was trying to get the ninety-nine willing souls to sail on the Black Pearl. She didn't like it but apparently it had to be done.

"And what makes you think you're worthy to crew the Black Pearl?" Gibbs said to the old man stood in front of the table.

"Truth be told, I never sailed a day in me life. I figure I should get out and see the world while I'm still young." he said hopefully and Charlotte frowned. The man was not young at all.

"You'll do. Make your mark." Gibbs told him and indicated to the roster sheet and the man signed it."Next!"

"My wife run off with my dog, and I'm drunk for a month, and I don't give an ass rat's if I live or die." the next scruffy man said.

"Perfect! Next!" Gibbs shouted and the man signed before he left. Charlotte looked back at Jack who was still shaking the compass and mumbling to himself.

"I know what I want, I know what I want, I know what I want." he muttered and sighed. He shut the compass and shook it before he opened it again with a hopeful look on his face. He followed it with his eyes but quickly looked back before Charlotte could see where it went. He sighed and bit his lip and shut it again.

"Not working yet?" she asked and he looked up with eyes wide. "May I try?" She widened her eyes and bit her lip hopefully. He sighed and handed it to her. She grinned and opened it. She watched as it span around and around before it slowed down. She followed it and didn't bother to look up when it stopped. she didn't want to draw attention to the fact that it stopped on Jack. She closed it and passed it back with a smile. He raised an eyebrow but she shrugged and took a drink and continued to listen to Gibbs.

"Me have one arm and a bum leg." a man was saying to him and Charlotte's eyes widened.

"It's the crow's nest for you." Gibbs told the man and he signed and left.

"I know what I want." she heard Jack mutter again and suddenly felt like someone was watching her but shook it off.

"Next!" Gibbs shouted.

"Ever since I was little, I've always wanted to sail the seas. Forever." a man told him and Charlotte sighed.

"Sooner than you think. Sign the roster." Gibbs said and he did just that.

"Thanks very much." he told Gibbs and she grimaced.  
**  
**"How are we going?" Jack asked Gibbs as he shut the compass.

"Including those four? That gives us... four." he said sarcastically. Jack shook the compass vigorously and sighed when he opened it.

"What is wrong with it?" she asked and he jumped and shut it quickly as she tried to have a look.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." he said quickly making her sigh.

"And what's your story?" she heard Gibbs ask and looked up to see a man with dirty hair and skin and holding a bottle of rum in his hands.

"My story?" the dirty man said and Gibbs nodded his head. "It's exactly the same as your story, just one chapter behind. I chased a man across the seven seas." Charlotte watched as Jack closed the compass and looked around for a place to hide. "The pursuit cost me my crew, my commission, and my life." Charlotte now realised that this was Commodore Norrington. Well he was not a commodore anymore but that was James Norrington. Norrington grabbed the rum off the table and took a large swig.  
**  
**"Commodore?" Gibbs asked tentatively and it just seemed to anger the man.

"No, not anymore, weren't you listening?" he snapped and Gibbs looked uncomfortable. "I nearly had you all off Tripoli. I would've, if not for the hurricane." Jack stood up and grabbed Charlotte's hand and pulled her out of the chair and grabbed a leafy plant and hid behind it. Charlotte had no idea why she had to hide.

"Lord. You didn't try to sail through it?" Gibbs asked shocked and leant forward.

"So do I make your crew or not? You haven't said where you're going. Somewhere nice!" Norrington spat and upturned the table and Gibbs fell off the stool and then stood and strutted off. "So am I worthy to serve under Captain Jack Sparrow?" Jack had tried to inconspicuously walk himself and Charlotte away with the plant clutched in front of them but Norrington spotted them and aimed his pistol at them. Well Jack, she was just held there because of him. "Or should I just kill you now?" Jack popped his head from behind the plant and grinned.

"You're hired." he said.

"Sorry. Old habits and all that." he said mockingly and was about to shoot when two pirates raised the pistol in his hand to the ceiling.

"Easy sailor!" they said and the pistol was fired and the bullet ricocheted off the light and smashed right through someone's bottle and then suddenly a big massive brawl broke out.

"Time to go." Jack said and tightened his hold on Charlotte's wrist and pulled her along with him.

"Aye." Gibbs said as they carefully made their way up the stairs. Charlotte was still being pulled along by Jack and although she liked it she wished he wasn't dragging her. Jack was grabbing people's hats and trying them on but they didn't seem to be good enough and he would swap them. That brought a question to her mind. Where was Jack's hat?

"Thanks mate." Jack said to a man whose hat he had just stolen and touched his shoulder and the man suddenly fell off his perch on the railing. Charlotte gasped. "Ooh." Jack whispered with a small grin on his face and put the hat he had just stolen onto another's head who was about to be thrown off the second floor and then stepped aside and pulled Charlotte with him and she fell into his chest and he put his hand around her waist. "Carry on." he told them and Charlotte gaped as they chucked him over the railing.

She was once again dragged off and out of the tavern.


	7. Elizabeth

**Chapter Seven**

**Elizabeth**

The next morning Charlotte woke up, dressed and washed her face before she pulled her hair into a pony tail and walked out of the cabin and on deck. She looked around until she finally found Jack and jogged over to him. "Jack?"

"Yes luv?" he said instantly and turned to face her.

"When are we leaving?" she asked as he sloped an arm around her shoulders and leaned closer.

"Soon." he whispered. She nodded her head and gulped at the closeness. He grinned at the reaction he was getting from her and slowly bent forward and captured her lips in a soft kiss. She tensed but slowly responded. She couldn't help herself. Whenever it came to this man she always seemed to lose it. He pulled back, pressed one more kiss on her lips and then stroked her cheek. She opened her eyes and looked at him. He opened his mouth to speak when a voice interrupted. They turned to see a young boy jogging over to them.

"Captain Sparrow?" he called and Jack raised an eyebrow at him.

"Come to join me crew, lad? Welcome aboard." he grinned but the boy didn't grin back.

"I'm here to find the man I love." he said and Jack gaped.

"I'm deeply flattered, son, but my first and only love is the sea." Jack said and pulled Charlotte closer to him whilst he indicated to Gibbs to get rid of the lad with an alarmed look on his face. Charlotte wrinkled her nose when she heard Norrington throw up in the bay.

"Meaning William Turner, Captain Sparrow." the boy said and Jack turned them around fully from where he was pulling her back up to the ship.

"Elizabeth?" he questioned and the boy, now girl, nodded. "Hide the rum." he quickly said to Gibbs and Charlotte rolled her eyes. Gibbs took the bottle from his hand and walked onto the ship.

"Jack. I know Will came to find you, where is he?" Elizabeth demanded bluntly.

"Darling, I am truly unhappy to have to tell you this, but through an unfortunate and entirely unforeseeable series of circumstances that had nothing whatsoever to do with me, poor Will has been press-ganged into Davy Jones's crew." Jack said and gave charlotte's arm a squeeze.

"Davy Jones?" she questioned and frowned up at him.

"Oh, please." Norrington snorted, whilst still being sick. "The Captain of the Flying Dutchman?" Jack looked at him and grimaced.

"You look bloody awful, what are you doing here?" he said and Charlotte couldn't help but agree. He was pale, dirty and smelly.

"You hired me. I can't help it, if your standards are lax." he sneered and Jack scowled.

"You smell funny." he pouted childishly and Charlotte rolled her eyes and squeezed his hand whilst Elizabeth shouted at him.

"Jack!" she shouted and glared at him. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "All I want is to find Will." she said in a sad voice.  
**  
**"Are you certain? Is that what you really want most?" Jack asked and she looked offended.  
**  
**"Of course." she said automatically. Jack waved his hand so she would come closer to him and Charlotte. She narrowed her eyes but slowly moved forward.

"Because I would think, you'd want to find a way to save Will most." Jack said slyly and she looked hopeful but suspicious.

"And you'd have a way of doing that?" she asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, there is a chest." he said.

"Oh, dear." Charlotte heard Norrington groan and she actually felt bad for him.

"A chest of unknown size and origin." he said.

"What contains the still beating heart of Davy Jones." Pintel said as he and Ragetti passed them. Ragetti held out his hand and imitated a still beating heart after it had been torn out and Elizabeth frowned. Charlotte was a little confused to what Jack was doing.

"And whoever possesses that chest possesses the leverage to command Jones to do whatever it is he or she wants. Including saving brave William from his grim fate." Jack said and looked at Charlotte.

"You don't actually believe him, do you?" Norrington asked disbelieving. Elizabeth didn't listen as she was still looking at Jack.

"How do we find it?" she asked curiously and Jack grinned and pulled out his compass with his free hand.

"My compass... is unique."

"Unique, here, having the meaning of broken." Norrington spat and Jack briefly scowled at him.

"True enough." Jack sighed and Norrington walked off to throw up some more making Charlotte wrinkle her nose. "This compass does not point north."

"Where does it point?" she questioned.

"It points to the thing you want most in this world." he said and Charlotte's eye widened. She recalled to where it pointed to when she was in the tavern. It pointed to Jack. So the thing she wanted most in this world was... Jack.

"Are you telling the truth?" she breathed.

"Every word. And what you want most in this world..." he trailed off and placed the compass in her hands. " ...is to find the chest of Davy Jones, is it not?"

"To save Will." Elizabeth said and looked at the compass.

"By finding the chest of Davy Jones." he said and pulled his arm off Charlotte and opened the compass and briskly stepped away. The needle span around before finally stopping resolutely. Charlotte saw Jack sneak up to look at the needles' coordinates. "Mr. Gibbs!" he called and he came up running.

"Cap'n?"

"We have our heading." Jack told him and Gibbs sighed and smiled.

"Finally! Cast off those lines, weigh anchor, and trough that canvas!" he shouted to the crew who quickly set to work.

"Ms. Swann." Jack said with a sweep of his arm and she walked on board. Norrington swaying, followed him.

"Jack what was that about?" Charlotte asked him and he smiled at her and wrapped his arm around her again.

"I told you I would get you brother back and that is what I intend to do." he said and smiled at her.

"Welcome to the crew, former Commodore." Ragetti smirked and pushed a goat into Norrington's arms.

Later that evening, on The Black Pearl, the crew was swabbing the deck as Jack and Elizabeth were having some kind of conversation and were holding some papers. Charlotte was bent over the railing and was looking out at the ocean and the ripples that were floating along and then fading out. She wondered how her brother was doing and if he was alright. She knew the crew was cruel and so was Davy Jones and he could be hurt right now and she could do nothing about it. Will had been there for her during everything and it hurt that she could not do the same. Jack had promised to get him back and to her, it did seem that he was trying. She was glad Elizabeth was safe and was back on the ship as she would have someone to talk to other than Jack and Anamaria.

She sighed and brushed her hand over the wood railing and closed her eyes. "Alright luv?" she heard a deep husky voice say right next to her ear making her jump. She opened her eyes and looked at Jack. He was putting some papers in his jacket pocket.

"Fine. Just thinking about Will." she sighed. He wrapped his arm around her and she put her head on his shoulder.

"Don't worry luv. I'm sure he's fine." he said soothingly.


	8. Good Man

**Chapter Eight**

**Good Man**

Charlotte walked out of the cabin and flattened her hair with her hand. She looked to the left and saw Elizabeth sat on the stairs that lead up to the helm with a sad expression on her face. Charlotte frowned and skipped over to her and sat next to her.

"Are you okay?" she asked shyly and put a hand on her arm. Elizabeth looked up and gave her a small sad smile and sighed.

"I just thought I'd be married by now. I'm so ready to be married." she said in a wistful tone and looked out to the sea. Charlotte looked down. She knew that Elizabeth was missing her brother, her fiance, very much and Will was probably pining after her as well.

"You know Lizzie, everything happens for a reason. I know some people don't believe that but I do. And I know that Will is going to be alright. Jack is trying to get him back." Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.

"Do you really believe that?" she asked sceptically. Charlotte nodded. "Well, hope you're right. But this is Jack Sparrow we are speaking of." Charlotte watched as Elizabeth got up and walked below deck. She got up and walked to the railing and jumped when she felt a hand on her back. She looked up to see Jack Sparrow.

"What is wrong with her, luv?" he slurred.

"Upset because she thought she would be married to Will by now and she's not." Charlotte explained and he leaned against the railing and gave her an unreadable look.

"You know, I am Captain Jack Sparrow and I can perform marriages. Right here, right... now." he said and leaned closer to her.

"No, thank you." Charlotte frowned and walked to the other side of the ship and Jack quickly followed.

"Why not? We are very much alike you and I. I and you... us." he said and she gulped. She liked Jack, she did but he was never one to be commited. She didn't know if she could trust him in that.

"Except for a sense of honor and decency and a moral center. And personal hygiene." she told him and he sniffed himself before shrugging.

"You will come over to my side, I know it." he told her confidently and leaned closer.

"You seem very certain." she told him. She wasn't very certain of anything right now.

"One word, love: curiosity. You long for freedom. You long to do what you want to do because you want it. To act on selfish impulse. You want to see what it's like. One day... you won't be able to resist." he told her and she gulped at the closeness. She didn't know what to say and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Why doesn't your compass work?" she blurted out and he stepped back slightly.

"My compass works fine." he retorted.

Charlotte looked at him before smiling slightly. "Because you and I are alike. And there will come a moment when you have a chance to show it. To do the right thing."

"I love those moments. I like to wave at them as they pass by." he smiled as he leaned against the railing.

"You'll have the chance to do something... something courageous. And when you do, you'll discover something. That you're a good man." she said seriously.

"All evidence to the contrary."

Charlotte laughed. "No, I have faith in you. You want to know why?"

"Do tell, dearie." he replied and she leaned in closer with each sentence.

"Curiosity. You're going to want it - a chance to be admired - and gain the rewards that follow. You won't be able to resist. You're going to want to know what it tastes like." she said and stopped about an inch away from him. His eyes flickered to her lips.

"I do want to know what it tastes like." he mumbled. Jack raised a hand and started to caress her cheek.

"But seeing as you're a good man, I know that you'd never put me in a position that would compromise my honor." she retorted and Jack, who was about to kiss her, stops when he saw the black mark return to the palm of his hand and snatches it away. Charlotte smiled albeit sadly. "I'm proud of you, Jack."

"Land-ho!" she heard Gibbs shout and Jack looked at her once before he ran off shouting about needing his jar of dirt. Charlotte sighed. She didn't know what that was all about but she was a little disappointed that he didn't kiss her but was also glad of it. She didn't know what to do, she was so confused. They stopped the ship and Ragetti, Pintel, Jack, Charlotte, Elizabeth and Norrington got onto the rowboat and set off for the island. Jack was cradling his jar of dirt, Pintel and Ragetti was rowing the boat, Elizabeth and Charlotte were doing nothing and Norrington was at the prow.

"You're pulling too fast." Pintel accused Ragetti.

"You're pulling too slow." he retorted.

"We don't want the Kraken to catch us. I'm saving me strength for when it comes. Just don't think it's Kraken, anyways. Always heard it says Kray-ken." Pintel said.

"What with the long 'a'?"

"Aha." Pintel nodded.

"No no no no no. "Kroken"'s how it's pronounced in the original Scandinavian, and "Kraken"'s closer to that." Ragetti said and Charlotte sighed. She wished they'd shut up.

"Well, we ain't original Scandinavians, are we? Kray-ken."

"It's a mythological creature; I can calls it what I wants!" Ragetti spat. They stopped at the island and Jack put his coat in the boat and picked up a shovel.

"Guard the boat; mind the tides... don't touch my dirt." he told Pintel and Ragetti. Norrington, Jack and Charlotte followed across the island as Elizabeth lead them the way with the compass. They went up a hill and Elizabeth started to go around in circles. She sat down on the floor and huffed.

"This doesn't work. And it certainly doesn't show you what you want most." Jack walked over to her and looked at the compass.

"Yes, it does, you're sitting on it."

Elizabeth looked up startled. "Beg pardon?"

"Move." he shooed and whistled to Norrington to start digging.

Down near the boat Pintel and Ragetti were once again arguing. "Guard the boat, mind the tide..." Pintel sighed.

"I can join the circus." Ragetti said randomly as he balanced a shovel on his hand.

"Mind if I shine your shoes, sir?" Pintel mocked, unaware they were being watched through a telescope by Davy Jones.

"They're here. And I cannot set foot on land for near of a decade." Davy spat.

"Trust us to act in your stead?" Maccus, his first mate said.

"I'll trust you to know what awaits you should you fail! Down then." he shouted and the crew started to shout. Ragetti and Pintel looked up when they heard the thud of the Flying Dutchman descending below the waters and ran off.


	9. The Fight Over Chest and Key

**Chapter Nine**

**The Fight Over Chest and Key**

Charlotte sighed and put her head on Jack's shoulder as they waited for James Norrington to finish doing the digging. She felt Jack's arm move and then felt her hair that was hanging over one shoulder being picked up. She looked out from the corner of her eye to see Jack playing with her hair. She smiled slightly and took a deep breath. Her eyes snapped open when she heard a thump. They all crawled closer to the hole and looked down into it. Jack pushed some of the sand off the wooden chest that was underneath and picked it out of the hole. He broke open the chest and saw letters scattered in the chest and underneath that was another chest which he picked out. Everyone was silent and they could faintly hear the soft thumps of the heart of Davy Jones.

"It's real." Elizabeth gasped.

"You actually were telling the truth." Norrington said in disbelief.

"I do that quite a lot, yet people are still surprised." Jack said.

"I believed you, Jack." Charlotte said and he smiled warmly at her.

"With good reason." a deep voice said from behind them. They all turned around to see a sopping wet Will Turner standing before them. Charlotte grinned widely and Elizabeth gasped and ran to him.

"Will. You're alright, thank God! I came to find you." she rambled and she bent up to kiss him and he kissed her back. Jack glanced at Charlotte and Norrington watched the couple jealously.

"How did you get here?" Jack asked after he forced himself not to look at Charlotte anymore.

"Sea turtles, mate." he replied and Charlotte grinned. "A pair of them strapped to my feet."

"Not so easy is it?" Jack grinned.

"But I do owe you thanks, Jack."

"You do?" he asked surprised and totally confused even though he tried not to show it.

"After you tricked me onto that ship, to square your debt with Jones." he said and Elizabeth gasped and Charlotte frowned.

"What?" Elizabeth demanded.

"What?" Jack echoed in a high pitched voice.

"I was reunited with my father." Will said and Charlotte's eyes widened. He had gotten to see their father again? Charlotte frowned and looked at the sand beneath her. She had to admit she was a little jealous that he got to see him and she didn't. She always felt as though she was being left out.

"Oh, well, you're welcome, then." Jack grinned and subtly moved closer to Charlotte. She didn't noticed but Will did and he narrowed his eyes and glared at Jack. Jack nervously smiled at him but didn't move away. It was clear as day that Will was telling Jack with his eyes that if he didn't leave her alone that he was going to kill him. Charlotte saw none of this as she was still looking at the ground.

"Everything you said to me, every word was a lie!" Elizabeth accused and glared at him.

"Pretty much. Time and tide, love." Jack agreed and Will unsheathed his father's knife and kneeled next to the chest. "Oi, what are you doing?"

"I'm gonna kill Jones." Will muttered and Jack took out his sword and levelled it at him and Charlotte's eyes widened. Jack wasn't going to hurt her brother was he?

"Can't let you do that, William." Jack said seriously and had such a serious look on his face. Charlotte had never seen him look this serious before. "'Cause if Jones is dead, who's to call his terrible beastie off the hunt, eh?" Will looked like he was about to relent and stood up from his crouched position, key still in hand. Charlotte was inbetween the two of them. "Now, if you please." Jack held his hand out for the key. "The key."

Will snatched Elizabeth's sword from her and pointed it at Jack. Charlotte flinched as she had two swords right above her head. "I keep the promises I make, Jack. I intend to free my father. And I hope you're here to see it."

Norrington took his own sword out and pointed it at Will. Charlotte and Elizabeth watched with baited breath. "I can't let you do that, either. So sorry." he said unapologetically.

"I knew you'd warm up to me eventually." Jack said to him and James swung his sword around to point it at Jack. Charlotte narrowed her eyes at him. Will swung his sword around and pointed it at Norrington and they seemed to form a triangle.

"Lord Beckett desires the contents of that chest. I deliver it: I get my life back." James told them and Charlotte and Elizabeth could only sit there and listen to them all. Charlotte was getting a little nervous and she was right in the middle of the triangle. Elizabeth curled her finger and motioned her to come over to where she was and she quietly crawled and they didn't even notice her move.

"Ah. The dark side of ambition." Jack stated.

"Oh, I prefer to see it as the promise of redemption." Norrington said before they all swung their swords and started to fight.

"Stop it!" Charlotte and Elizabeth yelled but they were ignored. They gasped as Will fell to the ground and they ran to him. "Will!" They knelt down and helped him up.

"Guard the chest." he told them and ran after the other two who were still fighting some way away. Elizabeth looked indignant but Charlotte didn't want to get in the way.

"No!" she called after him and started to run after them. She started to go on a tirade while they just ignored her and just carried on fighting. "This is not funny! This is no way for grown men to - Oh, fine! Let's just pull out our swords and start banging away at each other, that's all there ever is. I've had it! I've had it with wobbly-legged, rum-soaked pirates!" She sat sulkily in the sand and Charlotte who was watching them fight and Elizabeth who wasn't watching at all failed to notice that Pintel and Ragetti had snuck up behind them and was walking toward the chest.

Pintel watched Norrington, Will and Jack fight and also watched Elizabeth throwing rocks at them. "How'd this go all screwy?" he asked.

"Well, each wants the chest for hisself, don't 'e? Mr. Norrington, I think, is trying to regain a bit of honor. Ol' Jack's looking to trade it, save his own skin. And Turner there - I think 'e's trying to settle some unresolved business twixt him and his twice-cursed pirate father." Ragetti explained.

"This is madness!" they heard Elizabeth shout in the distance.

"Sad." Pintel commeted and Ragetti nodded his head. "That chest must be worth more than a shiny penny."

Ragetti tsk'ed. "Terrible temptation."

"If we was any kind of decent, we'd remove temptation from their path." Pintel told him slyly and they looked at each other, laughed and grabbed the chest.

"Enough! Oh. Oh! The heat." Elizabeth said and Charlotte watched in amusement as she pretended to faint but they continued to ignore her. She sat up and looked at Charlotte who smiled before she noticed Pintel and Ragetti. She pointed and Charlotte turned around and gasped. The two girls ran off and chased after the two pirates.

"Bugger." Jack cursed as he fell over. He grabbed the key and started to run. The other two followed him whilst still fighting.

Norrington pulled Will back and managed to make him stumble and fall. He then kicked sand into his face. "By your leave, Mr. Turner." he said and mock-bowed at him before going after Jack. On the beach, Jones's pirates were starting to resurface and they shambled up to the chest and looked at each other when they saw it was gone.

Norrington was in pursuit of Jack and they started to fight up thre stairs of what used to be a mill. Jack was higher up so he had the upper hand but he was also going backwards which didn't help much on his side. Norrington managed to get the key and Jack lost his balance and grabbed a bell-rope so he went down and Will, who was caught up to them flew up and grabbed the key from Norrington. He landed on the top most level. "By your leave, Mr. Norrington." he smirked and Norrington took off after him.

The undead pirates that had surfaced a few minutes ago came up to the chest at the exact moment the bell started tolling and smiled when they realised that that's where the chest must have gone and started to follow the bell.

Will and Norrington had now taken the fight outside and Jack who was followowing them with a cautious step was just walking at a leisurely pace. Will had the key in his hand he was not using and as he was swinging his sword around Jack was trying to reach in and grab it, but as Will was still fighting it was a little difficult to do. He lunged forward one last time and managed to grab it making the other two turn on him.

"Do excuse me while I kill the man who ruined my life." Norrington said to Will, talking about the disarmed Jack.

"Be my guest." Will shrugged.

"Let us examine that claim for a moment, former Commodore, shall we? Who was it that at the very moment you had a notorious pirate safely behind bars saw fit to free said pirate and take your dearly beloved all to hisself... aye? So whose fault is it really that you've ended up a rum-pot deckhand what takes orders from pirates?" Jack said and smirked at him.

"Enough!" Norrington shouted and took a swipe at him and Jack did a somersault off the roof and safely landed on the ground. "Unfortunately, Mr. Turner... he's right!" Norrington then turned on Will.

Jack looked around and found his sword on the ground and sheathed it. "Still rooting for you, mate." he said and jauntily walked off with the key now around his neck. He grunted when he fell down, face first, into an empty grave as he wasn't watching where he was going. "Oof." He looked around in confusion and then shrugged when it dawned on him where he is. "Oh."

Will jumped off the roof and onto a wheel that usually was used to power the mills and Norrington followed. Under the weight of their jump the rotting wood gave way and fell to the ground and started to roll away. Just as Jack tried to hoist himself out of the grave the wheel rolled over him and his mid-drift got stuck in it. He grunt again and tried to get himself out. The wheel kept turning and as he was upside down the key slid off his neck and snagged itself on a nail. The fight seemed to pause for a second as Norrington and Will had to step around Jack's protruding legs before they continued to fight. Jack had now managed to wiggle himself free and had started to run from the inside of the wheel. He reached his hand out to grab the key before he hit his head on a metal bar and was knocked out and fell limply to the ground.

Pintel and Ragetti was running through the jungle holding one side of the chest each. "We've got it!" Pintel cried just as Elizabeth and Charlotte stepped in and blocked their paths and they reached for their swords but just grasped air. Charlotte cursed. She had left her sword on the boat. Pintel and Ragetti took out their own swords and smirked at them. Charlotte gulped. "'Ello, poppet." They paused to stare at the giant wheel that was rolling by with Norrington and Will fighting on top of it and Jack was running close behind them. They shrugged and continued to advance on the two woman. A hatchet sound thuds into the nearest tree truck and they turned around to see Davy Jones's crew running towards them. Ragetti and Pintel thrust the swords on the two girls and picked up the chest and started running. Charlotte and Elizabeth looked at each other before they started running. Pintel and Ragetti, who had the chest, looked behind them and the chest bounded off a tree and fell to the ground. To protect the chest Elizabeth and Charlotte had no choice but to stand in and fight the crew of Davy Jones.

Jack had finally managed to catch up with the wheel and decided to give it another go with running on the inside and jumped inside. Before the key reached him Will fell and dangled over to side of the wheel and seeing the key right under him, he snatched it up and started to fight with Jack from the inside with Norrington soon joining them.

Being two swords short, Pintel, Ragetti, Charlotte and Elizabeth were having to share the two swords and where chucking them back and forth whilst fighting with the pirates. "Sword!" Charlotte shouted and Ragetti tossed her the sword in his hand. She turned around and swung the sword and watched as it sliced threw the neck of one of the undead pirates.

"Sword!" Pintel yelled and she chucked him the sword.

"Sword!" Ragetti shouted and he caught the sword that was passed to him. He faught with some of the pirates and a pirate with the head of a conch caught sight of the chest and picked it up chuckling.

Jack had managed to break the string that the key was attatched to and grab it. Having got his prize he left the wheel quickly latching onto a palm tree. It seemed that he had gotten out just in time as the wheel had just rolled off a slope. When the leaf he was holding onto broke he fell to the ground with a few solid looking fruits. He looked up and saw the pirate with the chest running through the trees. "Hmm." he hummed and hefted one of the fuits from the ground and threw it at the pirate. The throw managed to knock the pirate off his feet and consequently knocking his head off.

"Anido. Anido! Follow my voice, follow my voice!" the pirate said and the body seemed to stumble around while Jack took advantage and walked up to the chest with the key. "To the left. No! Other left. Go..." The body walked into a palm tree and stumbled to the ground. "No, that's a tree."

"Oh, shut it." Jack snapped and turned the key in the lock and the chest opened with a clang. He opened the lid and revealed the still beating heart. He picked it up and stuffed it down his shirt when Charlotte and the other three come running in. He slammed the lid down before he ran off. Ragetti and Pintel resumed carrying it and they all went running off to the beach.

As they got to the beach, Jack ran down towards their abandoned boat. "Jar of dirt!" he mumbled to himself. He looked around quickly and gasped as he saw it and grabbed it. He spilled out some dirt before flinging the heart inside and covers it with some of the dirt he just spilled out. Just as he closed the lid one of Jones's crew came at him. Jack grabbed an oar and started to fight him with it. Charlotte and the other three had finally caught up and made it to the beach and Will and Norrington, who were still rolling in the wheel came around and it rolled over a few of the pirates Elizabeth and Charlotte were fighting with and finally stopped and splashed into the ocean.

Norrington and Will climbed out of the wheel with some difficulty as they were so dizzy. They blinked a couple of times and started to wobble around the water but they kept falling over. "Great." Will groaned when he saw the fight that was going on and tried to walk to it but fell over and didn't seem to be able to get up. Norrington was a bit more successful as he ran to the boat and grabbed the letters of Marque out of Jack's jacket pocket and paused when he saw the spilled dirt. Being clever he grabbed the jar and opened the lid and grabbed the heart and hid it under his shirt before he closed the lid again.

Ragetti and Pintel thinking themselves clever, placed the chest into the boat and pushed off. Will ran over and stopped them and levels his sword at them. They went for their own before realizing Elizabeth and Charlotte had gotten them; they shrugged and brandished a net and an oar against him. Will spotted the chest and forgetting the two others in front of him, picked it up instead. Jack noticed what he was doing and "accidentally" knocked Will out with his oar and he fell to the ground.

"Will." Elizabeth shouted and ran over to him.

"Leave him lie!" Jack told her. "Unless you plan on using him to hit something with." Charlotte ran over to them just as the undead crew closed in on them. Jack stepped closer to her and stepped half in front of her.

"We're not coming out of this." Charlotte said quietly.

"Not with the chest. Into the boat." Norrington said and he grabbed the chest.

"You're mad." Elizabeth exclaimed.

"Don't wait for me." he said and ran off as a distraction with the chest clutched close and the crew followed.

"I-I say we respect his final wish." Jack said and turned to face Charlotte to see if she was hurt.

"Aye!" Pintel agreed and they pushed off.

Norrington ran for a while through the trees before he tripped and fell to the ground. He reached for his sword but the pirate that had previously lost his head and was now holding it in his hand stepped on it. "Your bravery is wasted. I shall pry the chest away from your cold... dead... hands." he sneered.

"Here you go." Norrington said easily and threw the chest to the pirate who dropped his head and catches the chest. He ran off and the crew laughed at his expense.

"What... Anido, Anido! Pirates." the pirate cried as his body left his head and he rolled into the conch and a crab emerged from the shell and crawled after the pirates. "Come back here. Hey, -?"


	10. The Kraken Attacks Thrice

**Chapter Ten**

**The Kraken Attacks Thrice**

When Will awoke later that evening he found that Elizabeth was staring down at him. "What happened to the chest?" he asked and Elizabeth had a sad look in her eyes.

"Norrington took it to draw them off." she told him and he was about to reply when they were interrupted by some bickering. It did not surprise him that it was Pintel and Ragetti that was arguing; they argued like an old married couple.

"You're pulling too hard!" Pintel accused, arguing over the sails.

"You aren't pulling hard enough. " Ragetti shot back and hung to the rope.

"Where's the Commodore?" Gibbs asked Jack. Jack glanced around and clutched his jar of dirt tightly.

"Fell behind." he murmured and looked at Charlotte as if to make sure she was on the ship with him.

"My prayers be with him." Gibbs shrugged. "Best not wallow in our grief. The bright side is: you're back. And made it off free and clear." Suddenly there was a loud splashing sound and they all turned around to see the Flying Dutchman pop out of the water right next to the Pearl.

"Ah, the F-" Elizabeth said in fright but didn't seem to be able to finish her thought.

"Lord, I done that." Gibbs muttered and crosses himself just making poor Charlotte confused. Jack walked forward and pushed Gibbs out of the way and pulled Charlotte out of the way as if he didn't want her to be seen.

"I'll handle this, mate." Jack said to Gibbs and turned to face the Dutchman. "Oi, fish face!" he yelled and held up the jar of dirt. "Lose something, aye? -?" Because Jack is Jack he didn't feel the need to watch where he was going and as he was at the helm he fell right down the flight of stairs. The crew 'ooh'ed' and cringed in sympathy at the fall but his hand flew in the air and held up the jar of dirt. "Got it!" he yelled and jumped up and brushing the fall off like it didn't happen. Charlotte shook her head. Only Jack. "Come to negotiate, eh, have you, you slimy git. Look what I got. I've got a jar of di-irt, I've got a jar of di-irt, and guess what's inside it?" he smiled and said in a sing song voice, waving the jar around the place.

"Enough." Jones snarled and the cannons slid out and Jack seemed to lose his smile.

"Hard to starboard." Jack said quietly.

"Hard to starboard!" Charlotte shouted louder so they could all hear. Gibbs turned the wheel frantically so the Pearl would turn the right way.

"Raise up the foreyard!" Will shouted and sprang into action.

"Rack the starboard! Send his beloved Pearl back to the depths." Davy spat and the cannons fired and some hit the Pearl as it retreated. Charlotte stumbled as the ship turned and managed to stay up right as Jack quickly grabbed her arm. She smiled in thanks and she smiled warmly and almost lovingly back. She shook her head, believing that she imagined it.

Ragetti spotted the Flying Dutchman in pursuit through a cannonball made hole and gasped. "She's on us! She's on us!" he yelled.

"Let them taste the triple guns." Davy told his crew.

"Aye, Captain." they replied and the triple cannons were rolled out in front and fired. It managed to further damage the ship and Jack ran up to the helm to take over steering. Gibbs passed the wheel over and ran down to the deck. Charlotte didn't know what to do but Jack seemed to want her with him at all times and had dragged her up to the helm with him. Will was maneuvering the sails and handed the rope over to Cotton.

"Make fast!" he shouted and Pintel petted the ship's railing.

"Don't let me down. Show us what you've got." he cooed and Charlotte raised an eyebrow at him. What a weird man.

"She's falling behind!" Elizabeth shouted and Charlotte turned around to see that in fact the Dutchman was.

"Aye, we've got her." Gibbs smiled.

"We're the faster?" Will asked a little shocked.

"Against the wind the Dutchman beats us, that's how she gets her prey. But with the wind..." Gibbs explained.

"We've got her advantage." Will finished and Gibbs nodded.

"Aye."

"We're out of range!" one of the pirates on the Dutchman shouted to his captain.

"Break off pursuit, run on light and douse canvas!" Davy Jones told him.

"We've given up, sir?" Davy smiled wickedly and the pirate smiled with him.

"Call the Kraken." he ordered.

Over on the Pearl, Charlotte had ran down below deck. She didn't know what to do. How could she help? She sat in the galley and took a large breath. Suddenly she felt the ship lurch and grabbed onto the wall. What was that? she thought. She took a deep breath and slowly made her way up to the top deck. When she saw the large tentacles she squeaked and ran back down and slammed the door to the galley shut. She sat there for god knows how long but she felt incredibly guilty. Her friends and brother could be dead for all she knew and she was just sat there like a coward. She jumped up and ran to the top deck. It seemed quiet to her. Too quiet.

She opened the door and immediately saw Jack near the centre of the boat. "Bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger." she heard him curse and a rattle of chains.

"Jack?" she called and her turned around with shock plain in his eyes.

"Charlotte? What are you doing here?" he asked frantically.

"I was below deck." she said. "Where is everyone?"

"They left." he said and smiled weakly at her. Charlotte gaped. Her brother had left her? There was a sudden groaning underfoot and Jack seemed to get innovative and reached for a lantern with his sword and poured oil all over his wrist that enabled him to slip his hand out the shackle. "C'mon. C'mon, that's it. Ah." he cried as his hand slipped out. Suddenly there was tentacles of the Kraken rising over the ship and Charlotte gasped. Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her close. The Kraken's mouth opened in a wide roar, splattering them with saliva. The stench was unbearable. It also spat out Jack's hat.

"Not so bad." he muttered and wiped the saliva off his face. "Oh." He bent down and picked his hat up before putting it on. "Hello, beastie." He grabbed his sword in one hand and Charlotte's hand in his other and charged heroically at the Kraken as it swallowed them up and took down the Pearl in a tight embrace.


End file.
